//------------------------------// // A Town Reckoning // Story: Praise the Sun! // by Distrance //------------------------------// A Town Reckoning The forecast of the day was indifferent to the usual Ponyville weather. Friendly clouds graced the blue sky as the tender warmth of the sun washed over the town. A slight breeze could be felt, only adding to the joyous and thankful days that the pegasi could conjure. Davenport, the proud owner of Quills and Sofas and one of the very few ponies in Equestria who bore two cutie marks, pleasantly sighed as he stepped out of his shop. In the distance, a large bullock cart advanced towards the shop. It was incredibly large and likewise piloted by two burly-looking pegasi as Davenport smiled lightly at their arrival. The cart gently scraped across the ground as they came to a stop. One of the pegasi removed the yoke that carried the craft and stepped up to the earth pony with a clipboard in hand. "You's Davenport I takes it?" The pegasi slurred as he flipped through assorted papers. "The one and only." He boasted, pointing towards himself. "Is this what I think it is?" Davenport asked in anticipation. "Let's see uh... Yous ordered the threes deluxe upholstered couches?" He confirmed, reading slowly from the order report. "Yes! Finally!" Davenport cheered. He nodded, tossing the clipboard back as the accompanied partner unholstered his neck from the cart as he moved to open the back of the large compartment. Davenport's eyes remained closed and a wide grin worked across his face as he attempted to surprise himself from the long-awaited addition to his shop. Clunk! Bang! Sounds of the sofa's colliding with the ground as they recklessly unloaded them from the cart. "H-Hey! Be careful with those!" Davenport yelled as he urged himself to see. He opened his eyes as the pegasi we're already inserting themselves back in control of the cart. To the left of it sat the three textile-based sofas that were left hastily stacked, but thankfully unharmed. "Aren't you going to help me carry these inside?" Davenport angrily pleaded to the two. "Nopes." The first smugly replied, grinning as they took off to their next route. Davenport clenched his teeth and grunted as they flew farther away. "Good for nothing Pegasi Delivery!" He shook his hoof as he grumpily trotted back into the shop to retrieve his moving equipment. The early sun of Equestria slowly grew higher in the sky as the early morning soon turned to midday. Davenport wiped his head from the sweat that he had worked up from dragging the three fairly large couches down to storage. Now, he sat with a bundle of plastic and stamps that he had tore from the packages. He sighed, his various trash cans were all filled to the brim as he rolled his eyes. With owning a store comes the grueling labor of keeping it tidy. Annoyed, he began to collect the cans together as he figured of dumping them in his conveniently owned dumpster. With bundles of assorted trashbags tied to his back and held in mouth, he pushed the door to the back open and stepped out. Immediately he felt something off as he sniffed the air. It was a putrid stench, he noted, as he figured somepony had dumped some more rancid food into his trash disposal. The smell only grew stronger as he approached it, however, when he arched his head towards the metal construct and noticed it weaken, he turned his gaze beyond it. He arched his head around as something large silently laid across the rocky floor of the alleyway, adorned with buzzing flies. Davenport curiously dropped his bags as he walked around the dumpster to see. His once tan fur had turned pale and his before calm expression had shot agape as he stood in absolute terror over the sight behold to him. A loud and horrifying scream filled the air of the quiet day. Solaire awoke from the bed, startled. He grasped his chest as his heart began to calm. Something was wrong, so very, dearly wrong. He scurried to the pile of armor that rested near the bedside. Quickly, he rummaged through it till he grasped a rather heavy bag that bore a faint glow from within. His fears called to him as he pulled the glow from out of the pouch. It was a beautifully decorated glass amulet, however the once gracious transcendent glow of the glass had been malformed into a maelstrom of darkened red and black. "By the sun NO! Not here!" He shouted, bringing attention to from the guards stationary on the outside of the door. "What's going on in there?" A voice questioned from outside the suite. "N-Nothing! Nothing at all!" He returned. Sounds of readjusting armor had confirmed that the soldier had merely brushed off his past worries, returning to his post. He exhaustively sat back, continuing to gaze upon the darkened amulet with a face of worry. The sign was familiar to him, and all so terrible for every time it had arose. Evidence proves that only evil befalls the darkening colors of the forsaken amulet as it swirled menacingly. His eyes brought himself to view beyond the window. Gripping the amulet tightly in his palm, he urged himself to act once more. Even against his morals of trust and honor, his promise to the Princess would go unfulfilled. A crowd had arisen in and around the large shop. Royal guards lined in unison stood, preventing anypony from seeing beyond. Varying looks of intrigue and confusion marked their faces as they adjusted to peer beyond the line. "Sir! S-Sir!" called out a small colt as he pushed his way through the legs of standing ponies. He met his gaze with one of the stationary guards as he adjusted a small notebook in front of his face. "Mind commenting on the situation here?" He asked, seeking for a response. The guard remained silent as he refused to break his gaze into the unknown. "Just a phrase? O-One word? Anything?" He worked, trying to pull a quote from him. He frowned as stillness held the guard. Disappointed, his ears lowered as he backed into the crowd. A familiar chariot grew into view as it's beautifully adorned exterior gleamed across the sky. The crowd of ponies all pointed and chanted of the arrival of the princess. If she herself were involved in this strange event, then of what importance has transpired here? The detachment of escorting guard ponies dropped the chariot to a graceful stop as the regal princess herself sat, her divine presence affecting all who gazed upon her arrival. "Out of the way, all of you! Royalty coming through! Make some room!" The leading guard of the chariot bellowed as he eyed nearby ponies, prompting them to step back. Princess Celestia bared a stern look as she stepped out from the vehicle. Her view remained forward as she approached the barricade of soldiers, ignoring the remarks and concerns the townsfolk cried out. A path had formed allowing her easy entry past the guards, who quickly adjusted themselves for her entrance. Past the wall were various ponies, many of which were forensics and detectives. Near the back entrance to Quills and Sofas, a particularly traumatized Davenport sat with shaky hooves as two guard ponies relentlessly questioned him. Carefully escorted by her personal guards, she trotted closer towards the center of the alley, where a small group remained still, observing the ground that was unseen to her view. Many ponies momentarily bowed as she passed however she paid no heed as her full attention was connected with the event that had formed all from behind the dumpster that blocked her view. Celestia stopped as the source of the commotion was finally shown. Yellow markers had been placed in various locations where there were signs of dried blood. It was all assorted around a large, basic white tarp that was placed over something that only made Celestia cringe in thought. "T-This is what I think it is, isn't it Aegis?" Celestia worriedly asked the grim-looking companion. "It is indeed, Princess." He sighed. "Never would of thought I would be alive to see somepony go out like this." He expressed, throwing out his hooves. Next to the tarp sat a gray earth pony whom held a magnifying glass close to his eye, observing the stains upon the ground as he whispered silently to himself. "Detective Vigilance?" Celestia questioned the focused pony. He broke his murmuring as he glanced upwards, momentarily surprised as the princess herself had called out to him. He clambered to his hooves as he replied: "Y-Yes princess Celestia?" "It is grim subject to discuss, but I would rather I learn about this 'incident'." She motioned, bringing herself closer to the scene. "It's unlike anything I've ever seen in all my years, Princess. I'd like to show you.... I-If your ready that is?" He cautiously asked as he began to grip the edge of the tarp. The princess shot him a reassuring glance as he nervously sat, confirming his action. With a gulp, the earth pony quickly slung the tarp off of the object, revealing the bloodied and decaying corpse of the fallen pegasus. Celestia winced, backing slightly as her recent expectations were left far behind. "Yes... well." Vigilance began, pointing towards the neckline of the pony. "It's hard to say exactly what caused this but... It's a cut, a BIG cut. R-Right across... here!" He motioned his hooves along the blood-splattered body of the pegasus. "I would usually be skeptical princess, but only something like a knife or a garden tool could do something like this." He noted to the observant Celestia. "I've never seen anything environmental make any incision quite like it." "You don't honestly believe that-" Celestia retorted, before pausing abruptly. "I'd love not to but-" he paused. "-but I do believe we're dealing with a murder here." He spoke as his head drooped slightly. "It makes no sense." Celestia spoke. "Nopony in this town would ever be capable..." She worked as she thought intently in her head. Solaire.... could it be? The thought graced her mind as she shook her head. Nay, how can I assume such things? The being has yet to show hostility yet... I-I feel as if he is connected in some way. She turned to face Aegis, who sat as a silent witness to the detective's nervous ramblings. "Where is my student and her friends as of now?" Celestia curiously asked as he stood in attention. "I believe The Elements are still on route back to Ponyville through the Canterlot train, your highness." He responded. "Send order to that train immediately! I want them back beyond the borders of the castle by night's end." She commanded. Nodding, he saluted as he jogged away, seeking a nearby messenger. Celestia glanced back towards the corpse; Her thoughts were clouded with proposed deceit and deep sadness for the loss of one of her own subjects, the ponies she had sworn herself to protect. She gritted her teeth and she suddenly spoke from within her thoughts: "Luna." She called out. It seemed as if she was only speaking to herself before a voice suddenly responded from the void of silence. "Yes, sister?" "Where is our guest as it is?" Celestia questioned. "As he should be, my sister. What troubles thee?" Luna questioned, unaware of the recent event. "A terrible storm is forming. I have a sickening feeling of our new 'friend'." Celestia answered. "Fear not, I continue to monitor thee as you requested. He shall not escape MY gaze." She reassured the worried princess. She nodded as her contact was broken by the vocal interruption of her bodyguard. "Ah- I apologize your highness but I have made off with the orders." He pronounced as the noticeably irritated princess turned in preparation to leave. "Princess, if you don't mind me asking-" He began. "Yes?" "-The being... Solaire; He's connected to this somehow isn't he?" He asked curiously. Princess Celestia only met her gaze with his own, silent as he merely gave him a grim stare before turning back again. "Detective Vigilance, I thank you for your excellent work." She called out to the jittery stallion, who saluted weakly. "Every thanks, your highness!" He responded. Celestia bore a weak smile as she returned her view to the beyond. Departing towards her chariot, Celestia stopped momentarily, taking notice of the sudden jolt of unknown energy the bounced from within her mind before resuming her walk once again. The laws of the Covenants were slowly whittling away from within the presence of this new world. Sacrilege cast upon the rites of the assassins of dark. The thought never graced the mind of a murderer, who's only focus was that upon it's next catch. There was no other will commanded by the devilish creature other than to crush the sun under his metal boots. As the blooded armor shuffled from it's movement, the being's sword scrapped across the dirt floor as it snarled in anticipation. Steady in pace, it finally halted for beyond were the edges of a great peak. beknownst to his gaze, the outlining shadow of Canterlot Castle towered over his figure as he lifted his sword to his shoulder. A strange, yet alluring essence called to him from within. With a stalwart expression the figure stepped from the ledge and trotted forth once again, seeking the true calling of his ultimate purpose.